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Saturday, October 29, 2005

Although it was initially expected that the body of civil rights-pioneer Rosa Parks would lie in repose in the rotunda of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., the passing of a resolution by Congress yesterday will see that Parks' body is lain in honor in the Capital rotunda - a privilege that is normally reserved for high-ranking government officials and military leaders, and one that showcases the powerful impact Parks had on this country.Allowing a private citizen to lie in honor at the Capital rotunda is such a rare occurrence, in fact, that it has only happened once before; Pierre L'Enfant, the architect responsible for designing Washington D.C., is the only non-government citizen to have ever been bestowed this unique honor. Until now.

Parks' body will lie in honor at the Capital rotunda from October 30 - October 31, allowing Americans the ability to pay their respects to the courageous and humble woman that changed America by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man in 1957.

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On Monday afternoon, the civil rights pioneer will be remembered at a memorial service at AME Church in Washington D.C.

Following church services in the nation's capital, Parks' body will be flown back to Detroit to lie in state at the Ford Freedom Rotunda inside Midtown's Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. On Wednesday morning, Parks will be moved by horse-drawn carriage to Detroit's Greater Grace Temple for funeral services, which begin at 11 am. According to this story in yesterday's edition of the Detroit News, Parks' casket will be open at the Wright Museum, as well as at Greater Grace.

Rosa Parks will be buried alongside her husband at Detroit's Woodlawn cemetery, located at 19975 Woodward Avenue.